Sterling gives England prefect start
Raheem Sterling finally found his tournament touch when his goal gave England a deserved 1-0 make an impression on Croatia at Wembley on Sunday because they started out a European Championship with a victory for the very first time in nine attempts.
Sterling, something of a surprise starter after a flat end to the domestic season but a popular of manager Gareth Southgate, slid home a 61st-minute shot after great work by Kalvin Phillips to end a person drought that had run through England's three previous major tournaments.
On a boiling hot day England started strongly, lost their way for some time but regained control as Croatia barely managed a go, giving the house side the first advantage in Group D that also contains Scotland and the Czech Republic. The game lacked the drama and jeopardy of the teams' 2018 World Cup semi-final, won by Croatia, and losing on Sunday was no disaster for them given what sort of draw pans out, but it was a morale-boosting victory for England as they set off once more in search of their first title since 1966.
Roared on by a noisy 22,500 crowd -- 25 % of Wembley's capacity -- England started full of bright intentions and put huge strain on the visitors, pinning them deep within their own half. Phil Foden, his bleached hair channelling Paul Gascoigne from Euro 96, almost gave them a dream start when he cut in from the proper and curled a minimal shot beyond Dominik Livakovic but agonisingly saw it keep coming back off the post following the slightest of deflections from the toe of Josko Gvardiol.
Phillips, impressive all afternoon, had a 25-yard shot blocked but, rather than riding the early momentum, England lost their way. Croatia's classy midfield trio of Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric and Marcelo Brozovic began to stroke the ball around and, with sunlight beating down, the pace and energy seeped out of the game. England eventually shook themselves out of your torpor and struck when Phillips drove through the retreating defence, rode two tackles and played the ball expertly into the path of the darting Sterling who, under great pressure, just got enough on your golf ball to steer it home.
Sterling had looked lively all day long and celebrated his first major tournament goal with gusto, though he must have added another 13 minutes later but blazed wildly over the bar.
Croatia were then forced showing a little more ambition and threw on their attacking subs but though England's defence looked just a little shaky at times there have been few chances for an equalizer.
